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VOLUNTEER WEEK
DAY OF MOURNING
Celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week with the Herald in looking in on some of Merritt’s finest.
The Herald joins local businesses and organizations in remembering those injured or killed on the job in British Columbia.
merrittherald.com | x.com/merrittherald
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2026
E S T. 1 9 0 5
LONG DAYS, DANGEROUS WORK FOR BC WILDFIRE FIGHTERS
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The Herald was invited for a first-hand experience with BC Wildfire’s potential new recruits. HARIT JOSHI
hjoshi@kentem.ca
The lungs are gasping for breath, and the heart is pumping at double its rate. Down on their knees, shoulders caving under the weight of gear and equipment. There are odd bruises and bleeding noses among a few. The legs are on the verge of giving up. The body is breaking apart; its enough, stop, it’s telling. And just then, camaraderie kicks in. The teamwork on display is beautiful. “Five steps at a time,” reminds a teammate while on its way down to do some more heavy lifting. The truck’s audio is blasting heavy metal songs. “Go Kodiaks” chants PHOTO/HARIT JOSHI
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New BC Wildfire fighters train during the New Recruit Boot Camp near Merritt on April 20, 2026.
Happy Retirement ANGELA! We at Schoening Funeral Service and Merritt Funeral Chapel, are pleased to announce the much-deserved retirement of Angela Texmo. She has been a kind, dedicated, knowledgeable and compassionate funeral director, and we thank her for the years of care for the Merritt Community and our funeral home family. Merritt Funeral Chapel A Division of Service Corporation International (Canada) ULC
On-call 24 Hrs. a day: 250-378-2141 or 1-800-668-3379 • www.MerrittFuneralChapel.com